Tournament of Enigma
by ExoZadakh
Summary: The superbosses of Final Mix: Xemnas; KH2 Final Mix: Lingering Sentiment; Birth by Sleep: Vanitas's Sentiment, and North American BBS/BBS Final Mix: Mysterious Figure, all face off in the Mirage Arena.
1. Chapter 1

**Tournament of Enigma**

**Chapter 1**

_The Mirage Arena—a world separate from time and space where different dimensions intersect. People ca fight alongside or against those of other timelines, even alternate versions of themselves, but despite this the Mirage Arena still does not allow travel between different dimensions. The traveling was the tricky part, but I found a way…now I'm going to gather four of the greatest warriors ever known and have them fight in the Mirage Arena. I want to see who is the strongest…Xemnas, Superior of Organization XIII; the Lingering Sentiment, remains of Terra; Vanitas's Sentiment, what remains of the man born of pure darkness; and the Mysterious Figure who resides in the Land of Departure. It's time we began this tournament…_

Xemnas looked up as someone warped onto the platform in the middle of the thrones, and the Superior asked, "Do I know you?"  
"No, you don't," the intruder said. He wore a suit of brown armor with no helmet, instead covering his face with an odd green mask.  
"Tell me…why have you come here?" Xemnas asked.  
"I have an invitation for you," the intruder said. "I am holding a very small tournament between the most elite warriors, and I wanted you to come."  
"Hm…I have no time for your tournament, intruder," Xemnas said. "I suggest you leave before I am forced to expel you."  
"Come now, Xehanort, think of the opportunity," the intruder said. "The other combatants are of great interest to you. Don't you want to know what happened to your apprentice? What remains of your host?"  
Xemnas paused for a time, eventually asking, "Who are you? What are you talking about?"  
"If you must call me something, then call me 'Pahrak'," the intruder said. "As for what I'm talking about…the best way to find out is by seeing for yourself."  
Pahrak stared quietly as Xemnas thought over the offer, and after a time the Superior said, "Very well then…tell me more about this tournament."

Pahrak walked up to the Lingering Sentiment and paused, not sure if it was 'awake' or not. "…Who's there?" the armor asked.  
"Someone who can be of assistance to you," Pahrak said. "Quite simply put…I can take you to Xehanort."  
"Xehanort…" the Sentiment repeated.  
"I am holding a tournament in the Mirage Arena, and Xehanort is one of the fighters," Pahrak explained. "Enter my tournament, and you shall have your battle with Xehanort."  
The Lingering Sentiment rose to its feet and slowly drew its Keyblade out of the dirt, saying, "Take me to Xehanort."

The small orb of darkness floated up and expanded, unraveling to reveal Vanitas's Sentiment to Pahrak. Vanitas touched the ground and said, "I was expecting someone else…but I suppose I can fight you if you want."  
He summoned his Keyblade, but Pahrak said, "I have no wish to fight you, Sentiment. I came here to extend to you an invitation."  
"Invitation to what?" Vanitas asked.  
"A tournament," Pahrak said. "A chance to strike down other great warriors to win grand prizes."  
"Is that so?" Vanitas said. "I'm not convinced."  
"Wouldn't you like to find out what happened to your master?" Pahrak asked. "Xehanort will be at this tournament…along with another Sentiment."  
"Sounds interesting…but you could very easily be lying," Vanitas said.  
"I am telling the truth, but even if I'm not what do you have to lose?" Pahrak said. "If you come to the Mirage Arena and don't see Xehanort and the Lingering Sentiment, you can always just kill me."  
"That is true," Vanitas said. "When you put it like that…alright, I'll enter your tournament."

Pahrak stood patiently at the summit, waiting for something to happen. He was just about to give up when he heard something behind him and turned to see a cloaked figure fade into existence, staring at him blankly from under his hood.  
"There you are," Pahrak said. "I want to invite you to the Mirage Arena for a tournament."  
The Mysterious Figure gave no reply, so Pahrak continued, "Xehanort will be there. So will Terra and Vanitas. Surely at least one of those interests you…right?"  
There was still no reply, and Pahrak began to get nervous. The Mysterious Figure raised its hand and Pahrak prepared for the worst, but then he noticed that the Figure kept its hand outstretched. Tentatively he reached out and shook hands, and then the Figure nodded, turned, and vanished.  
"…I guess that means he's coming," Pahrak murmured.

A burst of light erupted from the warp panel as Pahrak entered the lobby, and upon seeing all four contestants he said, "Oh, everyone's here! Good, good…we can get started immediately."  
"You neglected to mention that Xehanort lost his memories," Vanitas said.  
"But I didn't lie, now did I?" Pahrak said.  
"It would have been helpful to know that powers don't work in here," Xemnas said. "When this suit of armor attacked me I had no way of defending myself."  
"Yet its powers don't work either, so you're all safe," Pahrak said. "Can we please skip any further complaints? Now then…welcome to the Tournament of Enigma. Using the Mirage Arena we will have a series of one-on-one fights, and in the end one champion will receive this…"  
He held up a metal orb that fit in the palm of his hand, continuing, "The secret to traveling between dimensions. If any of you wish to withdraw from the tournament, this is your last chance." Nobody had any objections, so Pahrak said, "Very well. For round one, Xemnas will fight the Lingering Sentiment, and Vanitas's Sentiment will fight the Mysterious Figure. Please step into the center of the lobby and prepare for battle."  
The combatants did as they were instructed and Pahrak hit a button on the computer console, causing a beam of light to hit the warriors and transport them to the arenas where their battles would take place. Now alone save for the Moogle running the Medal Shop, Pahrak examined the metal orb in his hand and said to himself, "I can't help but think…maybe this is going a little too far."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The Lingering Sentiment summoned its Keyblade and ran at Xemnas, who chuckled, "Hmhmhm…and I thought I was a mere shell."  
He raised a Spark Wall to block the Sentiment and then moved in with his Aerial Blades, but halfway through his combo the Lingering Sentiment transformed its Keyblade into a whip and struck him several times. Xemnas flipped back to his feet and saw the Lingering Sentiment rush forward, its Keyblade in its vehicle form, and he quickly cloaked himself in darkness, moved out of the way, and shot the Sentiment with a laser bullet. The Sentiment suddenly warped away, and before Xemnas could locate it he was hit with a bolt of energy and the Sentiment then ran forward and used its Keyblade to knock him down.  
"It seems you sealed my ability to attack normally," Xemnas murmured. "But I still have magic, and that's just fine."  
He threw a Spark Bomb that the Sentiment countered with Ultima Cannon, and then he encased himself in a sphere of energy and moved forward, shooting energy beams from his hands and blasting the Sentiment across the arena. Now free from the spell Xemnas readied his Aerial Blades, but then several small devices flew out and peppered him with lasers, distracting him so that the Sentiment could strike with its Keyblade in a 'boxing glove' form. Xemnas created two rings of bullets that then flew out at the Sentiment, but then it dashed through the air and swung its Keyblade, with Xemnas having no time to block.  
"Annoying piece of metal," Xemnas grumbled, using Spark Wall to block the next attack and then knocking the Sentiment away with a group of Spark Bombs. "I still don't know what you are or why you want to kill me, but you shall not succeed."  
The Sentiment warped over to Xemnas and attacked, but Xemnas moved through the darkness and unleashed a flurry of strikes with his Aerial Blades, blocked when his foe tried to counter, and then bowled over him in a ball of energy.  
"…Xehanort…" the Sentiment said as it got back to its feet. "This time…I'm going to finish you…"  
Xemnas's hands crackled with energy, but suddenly the Sentiment was right on top of him, slashing again and again, and its Keyblade transformed into two smaller weapons and began to rotate at a rapid pace, creating cog-like energy projections as they grinded into Xemnas. The Sentiment returned its weapon to the default form and hit Xemnas across the arena, the Superior holding his chest in pain, and as the Sentiment charged its Ultima Cannon several Thorn Beams began to weave through the arena walls. The blast of energy moved out at Xemnas, but right before it detonated Xemnas warped to the center of the arena where he was engulfed in a pillar of light, and the Sentiment guarded as it was pushed back by Thorn Beams.  
The light died down to reveal Xemnas back in top condition, his cloak red with blue lines tracing patterns similar to those on the walls, and he said, "Your power is impressive. But can you defeat the power of the Mirage Arena?"  
Xemnas raised his arms and portions of the wall flew out at the Sentiment, who dodged and attacked only for its Keyblade to strike an illusion.  
"Hey, integrating with the Arena is cheating!" shouted Pahrak's voice. "I'm ending this match."  
"No!" the Sentiment yelled, rushing out and locked blades with Xemnas. "I must…destroy…Xehanort!"  
Xemnas grinned and blasted the Sentiment back, and then he lifted one hand into the air and emitted a pulse of energy that changed the location to a large throne room. The Sentiment used its arrow attack but Xemnas dodged and stabbed with an Aerial Blade before using a Spark Bomb to launch him across the room. Xemnas sunk into the floor and rose up beneath the Sentiment, carrying it up and smashing it into the ceiling, but then the Sentiment used its whip followed by Ultima Cannon, and then it slammed Xemnas into the floor as a huge splash of energy rose up. The Sentiment flew through another illusion as the arena changed to a clearing with a white castle in the distance, and then Xemnas threw Aerial Blades at it and struck it with powerful lightning bolts that surged from his hands.  
"How futile your fight is," Xemnas said, dusting off his cloak. "I have the power of a world that exists across the multiverse, and the battleground you fight on is your enemy. You have no chance of—"  
The Sentiment interrupted Xemnas by unleashing his desperation attack, and though Xemnas managed to avoid some of the damage he still took a beating and missed when he tried to strike back. Xemnas changed the battle location once more, this time to the middle of a dark forest, and he dodged, slashed, and flew away from his foe.  
"Enough!" Xemnas said, raising his hands and summoning hundreds of laser bullets in a dome shape around the Sentiment. The bullets surged towards their target, who transformed its Keyblade into a whip, and despite a few shots that got through it managed to avoid the worst of the assault.  
"Xehanort!" the Sentiment screamed, teleporting behind Xemnas and slamming him into the ground.  
The arena returned to its original form and blocks flew out of the walls at the Sentiment, but it knocked each one towards Xemnas, turned its Keyblade into vehicle form, and rammed him with enough force to break the wall and send Xemnas tumbled through space. The Nobody flipped around and attempted one last attack, but he collided with an Ultima Cannon blast and faded away.  
The Lingering Sentiment planted its Keyblade in the floor and returned to its resting position, and then it was teleported back to the lobby where Pahrak was waiting. "Nice job," Pahrak complimented. "Rest up—your next fight will begin soon."  
"Xehanort is gone…I must return," the Sentiment said.  
"No, you agreed to be in this tournament, which means fighting until the end," Pahrak said.  
"What would I have to gain?" the Sentiment asked.  
"The ability to travel between dimensions, remember?" Pahrak replied. "…You really don't get it. Look—you got rid of that Xehanort, but Xehanort still exists in other dimensions. Win your next match—win this tournament—and you can go to other dimensions and kill their Xehanort. You can permanently and completely wipe Xehanort from existence."  
A brief pause followed, but then the Lingering Sentiment said, "Alright…I will continue to battle."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Vanitas summoned his Keyblade and said, "What's with the hood? You don't want me to see the fear on your face?"  
The Mysterious Figure summoned its blades and took a stance, and when it dashed forward it collided with a sphere of darkness that engulfed Vanitas. The Figure continued pounding against the barrier until a shadowy doppelganger of Vanitas shot out and slashed him, knocking him back, and then another doppelganger flew at him, and another, and another, until finally Vanitas himself dashed out and dealt a blow. Vanitas felt the blade make contact, but suddenly the Figure was behind him and unleashed a barrage of quick slashes so fast he couldn't escape. The figure jumped up and fired an X-shaped shockwave and Vanitas countered with a similar move, and as the Figure charged energy Vanitas dashed around it and created several blades that closed in on it just as it unleashed a burst of wind that missed its target. Vanitas ran in and slashed, but the Figure jumped up, shot out some kind of energy harpoon, and pulled Vanitas into the air just long enough to leave him stunned when it launched into its next combo.  
"Well what do you know," Vanitas said, and upon seeing the figure charging energy again he prepared his Shootlock.  
Vanitas unleashed the blast as the Figure launched a Megaflare, the attacks colliding and creating an explosion that hurled both combatants into the wall, and when Vanitas got back up he saw the Figure creating pillars of fire around itself.  
"Nice try," Vanitas said, sinking into the ground and then rising up beneath the Figure in a shower of flames. "You don't say much, do you?"  
Not giving a response, the Figure dashed through the air at Vanitas, who used a similar move to cut past his foe, and after making several passes the Figure threw something a Vanitas that created a ring of energy around him, binding him in place as the Figure called a Meteor down on him. Vanitas waved away the resulting dust cloud and used his counter, teleporting behind the Figure just as it attacked to slash at it and summon ice crystals at the same time, but once again the Figure suddenly changed its location and this time swept him away with a burst of wind.  
"I guess you have a counter too," Vanitas said, and the Figure suddenly split into 10 beings.  
Acting quickly Vanitas used his flame shower to eliminate most of them, cut through another, and sent a shockwave from his blade to destroy two more, and when the Figure attacked he guarded and stood his ground. A multitude of small energy orbs filled the air so Vanitas created his barrier of darkness to protect himself from the blades that shot out of them, and his doppelgangers kept the Mysterious Figure busy until Vanitas came back out. Vanitas readied himself as the Figure charged energy once again, but when it disappeared from view he said, "What…?"  
Energy blades dug into him from out of nowhere, beating him back and wearing down his endurance, and after a while the Figure finally became visible once more as it knocked Vanitas down with a shockwave.  
"Ahahahahaha!" Vanitas cackled, getting back to his feet. "Sneaky, very sneaky. You have a lot of tricks up your sleeve…looks like I need to cut your arms off."  
Vanitas raised his Keyblade into the air and it exploded with energy, and then he dashed out and stabbed the Figure, though it appeared to teleport again, but when he created an X-shaped fissure in the ground the Figure stumbled and left itself open for the next dash and shockwave. "Looks like your counter isn't perfect," Vanitas said. "It's odd. Every time I can feel the hit make contact, but then you suddenly switch places like it never happened."  
Flames erupted around the Figure as it moved in with its blades, but Vanitas kept it at a distance with his Shootlock and asked, "Your counter involves manipulating time, doesn't it?"  
The Figure turned invisible, launched Megaflare, cast Meteor, and then threw out more energy spheres that shot blades at Vanitas, but Vanitas dodged, ran in, and slashed. The hit made contact, but the Mysterious Figure utilized its counter: it froze time for Vanitas and re-righted itself, recovering the damage it took, and then moved behind Vanitas and prepared to attack. When the time freeze wore off the Figure slashed Vanitas, but all it hit was an afterimage and the real Vanitas Sentiment slashed him from behind as ice crystals rose up from the ground.  
"I've figured it out," Vanitas said. "Now I can counter your counter, and I've found ways to defend against all of your other techniques. Now…you die!"  
The Figure blocked Vanitas's Keyblade and attacked with its swords, but Vanitas dropped underground and battered the Figure with fireballs when he came back up. Both fighters ran in and swung their weapons, the blades colliding and creating a shockwave that fractured the walls of the arena, and then they leaned forward and put all their strength into trying to overpower the other. The Figure soon allowed Vanitas to make contact, using its counter to recover from the near-fatal damage, but Vanitas again used his counter and then ran his Keyblade through the Figure's chest, causing it to vanish almost instantly.  
Vanitas was then teleported back to the lobby, where Pahrak and the Lingering Sentiment waited, and Pahrak said, "Nicely done. Now that we're done with the first round you two will fight each other, and the winner will be Champion of the Tournament of Enigma."  
"Who was that guy I fought anyway?" Vanitas asked.  
"Well…even I don't know," Pahrak said. "But that's not important right now. The Lingering Sentiment and Vanitas's Sentiment, please step into the center of the lobby and prepare for battle."  
The two Sentiments did just that, and Pahrak programmed the console, hit a button, and they teleported away. Pahrak sighed, "At least Xemnas won't win, and I won't have to worry about what the Mysterious Figure may have done. Sending the Lingering Sentiment on a transdimensional crusade to destroy Xehanort probably isn't too bad, but Vanitas…whatever he would use this power for, it wouldn't be good. I sure hope Terra's will is stronger…"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The Lingering Sentiment lifted its Keyblade as Vanitas's Sentiment said, "We never had a true battle in our original forms, did we?"  
His foe rushed towards him, and he sighed, "Should've known…"  
Vanitas encased himself in shadow and sent out a series of doppelgangers, each one hitting the Lingering Sentiment until Vanitas dashed out. The Lingering Sentiment turned its Keyblade into a whip but Vanitas jumped out of the way, and the Lingering Sentiment rushed through the air and slashed. Vanitas blocked and then created crystal blades around the Lingering Sentiment who dodged and used his Ultima Cannon, but Vanitas used Dark Cannon to reflect the blast and pin down the Lingering Sentiment.  
"It's so easy to read your attacks," Vanitas said. He hurled a shockwave from his blade but the Lingering Sentiment teleported, turned its Keyblade into a bow, and shot Vanitas, sealing his ability to use magic.  
"What a twist," Vanitas said. "Did you think that would level the playing field?"  
The Lingering Sentiment charged forward on its Keyblade Glider but Vanitas jumped up and kicked it off, a move he followed by grabbing the Glider and slamming it into its owner. Vanitas leaped away as the Lingering Sentiment created a fissure of energy, and he waited patiently as his foe proceeded to power up. The Lingering Sentiment warped over to Vanitas and unleashed a flurry of blows, all of which Vanitas blocked, and then it turned its Keyblade into a cog-like weapon so Vanitas jumped aside, watched for an opening, and then dashed in and hurled the Lingering Sentiment into a wall."  
"Magic's back," Vanitas said, sinking into the ground and rising up beneath his foe in a shower of flames. Vanitas stomped on the Lingering Sentiment's arm, crushing it, and asked, "Why are you still fighting, anyway? You already defeated Xehanort."  
"…Xehanort…" the Lingering Sentiment repeated.  
"Yes, Xehanort, my master, the guy who snatched your body, X-E-H-A-N-O-R-T," Vanitas said. "You already fought him, so why are you fighting me?"  
"The other Xehanorts…" The Lingering Sentiment said. "Across the dimensions…"  
"...That makes sense," Vanitas said. "Why destroy one when you can destroy them all? But I find it hard to believe that a single-minded object like you thought of it. Am I right?"  
The Lingering Sentiment jumped up and slashed, but Vanitas used his counter and said, "It was Pahrak, wasn't it? Either the guy just likes to watch fighting or he's not exactly neutral."  
Vanitas raised his Keyblade into the air and charged it with energy, and then he slashed the Lingering Sentiment, hit it with a shockwave, and then repeated the process, leaving the target on the brink of falling apart. "I'll have to have a talk with him once I finish you off," Vanitas said. "I mean come on, you haven't even given me a workout. You make me ashamed to call myself a Sentiment."  
The Lingering Sentiment raised its Keyblade and tried to move forward, but pieces of its armor fell to the ground and it had to struggle just to remain standing. Vanitas knocked the blade from its hands and cut the Lingering Sentiment in half across the waist, and as the armor hit the ground Vanitas smashed the helmet under his foot. In a flash Vanitas found himself back in the lobby, and Pahrak said, "Vanitas's Sentiment, you are Champion of the Tournament of Enigma."  
"Disappointed?" Vanitas asked. "Something tells me you're a 'good guy'."  
"I wouldn't have invited you if I wasn't…prepared for you to win," Pahrak said, handing Vanitas the metal orb. "Any ideas what you'll do with the ability to travel between dimensions?"  
Vanitas took the orb and said, "Maybe I can find another heart of pure light and get back the X-blade. That'd be fun, wouldn't it?"  
"Someone will try to stop you," Pahrak said.  
"Try, but not succeed," Vanitas said, approaching the warp pad. "Thanks for the prize, Pahrak. When I come back here X-blade in hand, I'll make you regret holding this little competition."  
With that he exited the lobby and flew away from the Mirage Arena, and Pahrak sighed, "I was afraid of this…if he forges the X-blade when he's already this strong, a lot of people could get hurt. I'd better go see Master and tell him to get the countermeasure ready."  
Pahrak was about to leave when a figure in samurai-like armor entered the lobby, so he paused, waited, and then said, "Master sent you, didn't he? Good…Vanitas's Sentiment just left with the orb. If you hurry you may still be able to track him."  
The figure nodded and turned, holding in its hand an orb identical to the one given to Vanitas.

THE END


End file.
